Fw: 164 spring-loaded "tensioner"

["Daegrigg (Don)" <daegrigg@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: Daegrigg (Don) <daegrigg@domain.elided>
To: Richard Bies <bies@domain.elided>
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2003 6:31 AM
Subject: Re: 164 spring-loaded "tensioner"


> Richard,
>
> Attached are two messages from 164 digest members on the subject.  They
are
> excellent and key on the all-important but vague step of setting the
> tension.
>
> Don
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Richard Bies <bies@domain.elided>
> To: <alfa-digest@domain.elided>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2003 1:47 AM
> Subject: Re: 164 spring-loaded "tensioner"
>
>
> > Can someone tell me where I might be able to find a printable copy of
the
> > adjustment procedure -- as I recall, the Centerline version was
preferred.
> >
> > (Yes, after driving Alfas for over forty years, the dreaded timing-belt
> > failure bit me in Sioux Falls, SD.  A couple of people know what an Alfa
> > is.....I have the CD manual, so can print-out the rest of the procedure
> > [and I found the Bulletin on TDC] --I know the procedure roughly, but
> > would rather have something I can down-load and print -- I can print
from
> > web sites, but not e-mail....)
> >
> > r.m.bies
> > --
> > to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
> > or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided
Don,

Sorry the tensioner is giving you such a hard time. Look carfully at housing
just above sliding notch area where lower stud goes. If you have a damaged
housing usually a small piece is broken out right near edge of pulley. That
piece if still in place has coil spring resting against it. Usually it gets
busted out because when lifting lifting square without using needle nose
pliers to rotate pulley slightly for a smooth transition. It causes to much
spring tension against it and will bust out that small piece holding spring.
IF YOU APPLY ENOUGH TENSION TO MOVE POINTER SO IT IS FACING THE NUMBER 1 AT
END OF PART NUMBER IN CIRCLE YOU ARE CLOSE TO BUSTING OUT PIECE OF HOUSING
HOLDING COIL SPRING BEHIND PULLEY.

Do reread TSB's 01.93.03/04 /alfa/FAQ/164/b019303.htm
and TSB
/alfa/FAQ/164/b019304.htm

Look carefully at Figure A TSB 01.93.04 Page 4/4. See how pointer and
reference mark are lined up? I find that if I use a pair of needle nose pliers
or pair of snap ring pliers as a tee handle in two holes in pulley to rotate
pulley when installing belt and when getting ready to rotate tensioner housing
with 3/8" drive bar in lifting square it is easier to set tension.

I set tension so pointer is slightly below reference mark (about 15 lb ft or
180 in lb). Do not max out tensioner which can easily be done if you try
lifting lift square without rotating pulley slightly with needle nose pliers
as you start to lift.

Be sure you have spark plugs out so engine is easy to rotate with socket on
crank pulley nut and check timing marks and see that pointer stays even or
below reference mark.

If you have to let off to get it lined up you may loose to much tension and
have to start over again. AS LONG AS HOUSING TAB BY COIL SPRING IS NOT BUSTED
OUT AND POINTER EVEN OR JUST BELOW REFERENCE POINT AND GEAR TEETH ARE CLEAN SO
POINTER REMAINS PRETTY STEADY AS YOU ROTATE ENGINE IN A SLOW EVEN MOTION WITH
PLUGS OUT YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE PROBLEM OF REAR CAM JUMPING TIME.


Ciao, Alfisto Steve
91 White 164B Originale
87 Red Milano Gold
86 Red GTV6
85 Red GTV6

DP
Member since Oct-16-01
48 posts Jul-23-03, 08:38 AM (EST)

3. "RE: Mechanical (de)tensioner Again"
In response to message #2

   I've just experienced the exact same thing last week and am relaying what
I've learned. Coincidentally I've logged 22hrs. so far doing this freakin
t-belt job for the first time solo. (Turns out I had an injector problem
too...another story)
I used the Centerline and Alfapro procedures and found I was missing one
essential part, which seems to be what you're having problems with. You must
put 15-18lbs. of torque against the belt to put pressure on the belt. I just
lined up the tensioner nominal markers and torqued down the nuts, which was
not complete. I was told by Vick's in Ft. Worth to put 20lbs. of torque
against the belt but the closest I was able to get was 15lbs before the the
tensioner adjustment slot didn't seem to give me any more room to move. I
feared that I was up against the edge of the tensioner slot which is a no no.
What I did to see if I indeed came to the end of play on the tensioner
adjustment slot was to remove the washer and hold tension on the tensioner.
Turns out that I was wrong and was a mm off before the end play on the sliding
tensioner adjustment slot. Like Steve said, you must use the needle nosed
pliers to line up the nominal mark while applying the 15lb. of torque against
the belt with your torque wrench. I used a Snap-On clicking wrench and was
told 15lbs. was ok. If you have a torque wrench that works like a scale, shoot
for 20lbs.(Sounds like a lot, but that's what Vick's recommeded.)

I turned the crank 12x instead of the 4x recommmended by everyone just to
completely make sure nothing was hitting. My belt really looked like it was
going to slide off the cams after rotating it. Turns out regardless of where I
put the belt on the cams, it would move really close to the edge of the cams
and stay there.(Thanks Steve for reassuring me it was ok.)

When rotating the crank, I checked to see if the pulleys actually turned and
if the tensioner marks moved excessively. Pulleys turned and my marks always
lined up. The nominal markers on the tensioner did not vary much at
all...stayed pretty lined up. The scary part the first tims is that if the
marker moves to the number 1 on the tensioner. They say if the marker does
that and it runs out of room to move, your tensioner spring would snap.

Last part of the experience. After I put it back together, my car was idling
rough and I had a high idle. I was getting ready to pull the back cam cover
off to see if I skipped a tooth. Another problem was that although I wasn't
able to line up my white out marks on the cams perfectly, I tried to get them
as close as I could with the starter. I was able to get both my cam whiteout
marks within an inch of my whiteout marks on the engine. The cams looked like
the skipped a tooth. The back cam would be an inch off and my front cams would
be 2 inches off! I ended up disconnecting everthing and turning the crank by
hand to check if I skipped a tooth. EVERYTHING LINED UP FINE WHEN I DID THIS!
Anyway don't trust your eyes unless you can line up your marks perfectly.

Final step, I called AAA and had my 164 towed to Vick's so I could get a 2nd
opinion on my work. They said it looked great and the reason I was running
rough was due to an uncooperative injector. I needed to drive it more to get
it working right. My high idle was due to the throttle being out of adjustment
on the afm. They said I did my t-belt job correctly and I asked them to torque
down my belt a little tighter. They got it to 18lbs./ft.

Now I have to find some nuts for the driver's seat. I stripped them trying to
put in the driver's seat.

Almost done! I have to get the wheel shields back on and recharge my A/C and
I'm off!

Thanks Alfisto Steve for all your help and quick responses to my questions.
Without you and Vick's Autosports, my car would sit another 2 yrs.!


Danny
Dallas, Texas
91 164l
83 gtv6 3.0
83 280zx
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